Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1887-03-31
AN AGED MAN COVE.
Death % william O. sseds ns the
Age OF 81.

age Of 81.
William o. Seeds died at his late resi-
dence, No. 1877 Wollaston street, this city,
at $50 O'Clock Saturday morning. De-
ceased was widely known in this city as
a man of active pympethies and positive
temperament. He was boin In New
Castle on the 22d Of Febr uary,
1906, and at the time of his
death was in his s2d year. He Yves the
son of Adam Seeds, about whose death an
unsolved mystery hangs Adam bad en-
listed for the war of 1912. He left his
family to go to Washington fer the pur-
pose OF joining the troops. The journey
In those days was made by coach. From
the time he bRde his family frewelI for
that journey he was never heard of sgain.
At the age of 10 years the deceased was
apprentieed to the cRrpentering business
with Abel Saunders, whose shop stood on
the ground now covered by the north end
Of the Clayton House on Market street.
While he was yet an apprentice Saunders
moved TO Brooklyn, N. Y, taking the
young man with him. While In the latter
city MIR. Seeds was married to Elizabeth
Steers, who at that time lived on the
Hudson, where Sing Sing now Is. In 1887
he returned to this city and carried on
carpentering and stairbuilding for many
years.
On the 10th Of December, 1874, Mr..
Seeds met with a fall on the ice In fall
ing he struck the end of his spine. He
suffered from that time till his death from
the effect Of that injury, which it is be.
lieved shortened his life several yeps.
He was member of the frien,lship
Fire Company when that organization
was located on Market street, where the
Smith Building now stands. He was
n tieasurer Of the company for number of
years and was one OF the most active
members the company ever had.
He was also member Of the /. O.0 F.,
having been in that order for space of
40 years, during which time he attained
the eminent position Of Grand Master of
the order in this State. He was men,
ber of Mechanics Lodge, No. 4, when 1t
met in Temperance Hall, on Fourth
street between Market and King.
BE received benefits from that
lodge for three years after his accident,
in 1874. At the end Of that time the
lodge refused to pay any more benefits,
on the ground that he was not ill,
but was suffering only from the
effects Of old age. BE carried his case
into the grand lodge and was sustained.
Mechanics Lodge then appealed to the
Supreme Lodge. This body met that year
in Canada and Mr.. Seeds did not send
q representative to defend his case. As
the result the decision of the Grand
Lodge was reversed. Mr.. Seeds
then sued Mechanics Lodge in
the superior court of this county for
damages, whereupon the lodge plead
that its charter was not recorded and that
he could not recover even thoughhe should
get verdict against it. The case
was finally compromised by the lodge
paying him less than one-third of his
claim, OH condition that he should with.
draw from the order aud press no further
claim against the lodge. Papers were
signed to that effect and the matter ended.
The deceased was member of the
Fifth Delaware regiment and was out
with ii all the time ii was in service,
though he was 81 years old when he en-
listed. He was the father of four children
three of whom survive him. The chill
dren were Phoebe Ann, now deceased /;
Joseph II. d. Seeds, the well.known con-
tractor OF this city; Mary, wife Of Henry
Evans, and Hannah, wife Of Edwin w.
jackson. One brother, Joseph o. Seeds,
also survives him.